Chandigarh, (PTI) Sandeep Kaur,
the daughter of a peon from Morinda in Punjab, has made it to the IAS.

Sandeep is the eldest of her three siblings and attributes her success to her
father employed in Morinda sub-tehsil.

Citing her father as her immense source of inspiration behind her success,
Sandeep, a civil engineer from Panjab Engineering College, had the sole goal of
making it to the IAS.

"I dedicated myself to preparing for the civil services and failure at earlier
attempts made me stronger to prepare for the examinations," she says.

Her dream is to work against female foeticide which is a big problem in Punjab.

Meanwhile, in a congratulatory message, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal
complimented Sandeep Kaur and her family members, saying she had done the state
proud by making it to the IAS despite her economically poor family background.

Punjab CM has no reason to
celebrate Sandeep Kaur's selection in Indian civil services

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash
Singh Badal has congratulated Sandeep Kaur, daughter of a peon who has made into
the India civil services, without realising that Punjab government has no
contribution in her success.

She has emerged winner despite poor education infrastructure in rural Punjab and
no assitance by state education department. She has studied in an ill equipped
school in Morinda. It was Sandeep's determination that she has surged ahead
crossing all social and economic hurdels. Badal has announced to honour Sandeep
Kaur for her rare distinction. Rather he should like a gentleman make public
commitment that he would improve the education in rural areas to let the other
girls to repeat the suceess of Sandeep Kaur.

Sandeep is lucky that she was not killed by parents before birth then she was
doubly blessed that her parents inspired her to become the winner. It is an
opportunity for Badal to make an introspection of his government's contribution
in parting education to the rural children. So many Sandeep's in rural areas who
failed to get good education retired to their fate.

Instead of feeling elated over success of Sandeep Kaur, Punjab CM shall feel
ashamed over the fate of Rajwinder Kaur, another girl gifted with rare
intelligence who is working as a peon in Punjab education departmant. Rajwinder
who belongs to Bathinda, the home constituency of deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir
Singh Badal, may be the next girl to make into India civil services without any
support from the ruling family.

Rajwinder Kaur belonging to a lower middle class family had cleared her PMT and
got admission in a medical college. Unfortunately, her father and mother died in
a road accident. Her brother who also got injured slipped into coma. At that
time her father was an assistant JE in Punjab State Electricity Board(PSEB) and
mother was a teacher in Punjab education department.

Rajwinder Kaur had no choice but to leave her MBBS course and take care opf her
ailing brother. The PSEB refused to give her job on compassionate grounds. The
education department offered her the job of a peon which she accepted on the
persuation of her relatives. Neither Punjab Chief Minister or deputy Chief
Minister bothered to take care of the poor girl.

Rajwinder Kaur is also a national level cricketer and topped in school without
any extra coaching. The officers of education department in Bathinda are
sympathetic to her but the bureaocracy in Chandigarh is not moved at her fate.
Rajwinder Kaur has now started preparing for civil services exam and she is
determined to get into it.